POS Software for Restaurants to Use In 2021 (NEW GUIDE!)

We recently talked about pos software for restaurants in one of our feature posts. If you haven’t read it, check it out to see how a point of sale system works and what is it exactly.

The scope of this write-up, on the contrary, is to cover different aspects of a pos software for restaurant from a broader perspective. We are assuming that you already know your way around the ropes, and you’re looking for a reliable Pos software vendor to integrate flexible payment gateways/ options into your fully operational food business model.

A POS Software for Restaurant Is More Than Just Taking Payments?

While it’s good to hear that Pos software for restaurants helps to resolve the conundrums of a business owner who had a hard time receiving payments, there’s more to the equation.

If you have signed up with a food services aggregator with multi-dynamic software for restaurants, it can reshape your entire business through data-driven technology. Beyond payments, we are talking about restaurant owners going through Pos software reports where they offer the edge to survive during trying times, especially.

For instance, a data-driven pos software for restaurant can offer the following benefits to your food business:

• You can distinguish peak sales times, based on seasonal food order menus, time of the day, or any other specific timeline.
• Gather and monitor data to manage food item inventory stock.
• Take online restaurant reservations through the pos system.
• In view of COVID-19 health restrictions, integrate voucher payment, virtual payment, and eGift card payment options through a pos software for restaurant.
• Accept contactless payments for online orders and cashless deliveries.

The Show n’ Tell Signs of a Great Post Software for Restaurant(s):

If we had to make one solid recommendation that would distinguish a good point of sale software for restaurant from a “bad” one, we’d say that you need to look for a tool that gives more personalization options to your customers.

What is personalization? Let’s say, you have a rewards program for your food order menu online. There are a bunch of customers who order regularly from you, and you use a point of sale software for restaurants to store their purchase data.

To increase your customer retention, you have decided to offer these special food lovers some kind of discount, or credit an XYZ amount to their online restaurant account so that it can be redeemed on the next food order.

That’s where an ideal point of sale software for restaurant comes in. It treats your food ordering clients like human beings; individuals who have their buying preferences in-store at your own. All you have to do is offer them a personalized experience that makes up for a delightful process in the long run.

Other main factors to look for, in an ideal software for restaurant are stated below:

• Affordability: What good is such a software if it doesn’t come cheap? To make matters worse, some retailers charge a maintenance fee alongside an additional cost for deploying updates, which kind of makes it a tough bargain for restaurant owners. Avoid going into such long-term contracts by partnering up with a food services aggregator that understands your needs better.

• Inventory Management: Small scale food businesses don’t have complex requirements when it comes to managing inventory through a pos software. However, if we keep scalability in mind, then think about going for a software that offers raw ingredient management, low inventory alerts, and pending purchase orders to refill the stock before the next batch of customers walk in.

• Employee Tracking: Who made the sale at the pos terminal? Who’s your highest performing employee in terms of converting restaurant customers through add-on menu items? Such variables are visible through a pos software that clocks employee performance sets their schedules and defines their role in terms of access levels.

• Security Features: Advanced POS software, or any other business for that matter, eliminate the need for drawing cash register. You should also be able to track void transactions to safe-keep your revenue stream.

Above all, in the wake of the recent pandemic situation, you should look for COVID-19 related features in a pos software.

This is a new requirement that wasn’t set in place before. But, if you want to keep your establishment COVID free, think about integrating cashless payment options, payments through QR and NFC methods, and other modules that make it easy for your customers to dine-in or order food online through a food ordering mobile app.

4 of The Best POS Software for Restaurants to Use in 2021:

1. Revel for Restaurants:

Up next, we’ve got Revel software for restaurants. This one’s a perfect choice for high-volume online and real-life food businesses with complex requirements.

At a glimpse, the system offers the following features for you to begin with:

• Revel pos software offers nice visual menus, automated prompts, and the ability to modify items in the inventory management tab.
• Comes with a table reservation system for restaurants looking to accommodate dine-in customers.
• Contains add-ons, such as loyalty program support, online ordering, and vice versa. These features are available at an extra price though.
• Pos experience can be customized to meet food business owners’ requirements accordingly.
• Continue processing payments through a special “Always On” mode, even if the internet isn’t available for an intermittent period.
• Flexible payment options include credit/debit card payments, QR code payments, and ApplePay, etc.

Where to Sign Up?

You can log on to Revel Systems’ official website for more details. The base version of the software comes with a 3-year contract and a $99 monthly fee.

2. Lightspeed Pos Software for Restaurants:

Next to Revel pos, Lightspeed is a suitable pos solution that comes at a low cost for businesses wanting something affordable.

The only setback to using Lightspeed software is that they have an iPad POS system. Therefore, if your restaurant customers are using Apple devices, you can’t force them to switch to Android smartphones to make payments.

However, Lightspeed restaurant does have plenty of features to make up for the Android side of things.

• Cost starts at $69 per month (*billed annually). Makes it a feasible solution for food startups.
• Order takers can send order data to the kitchen directly from bus tables.
• Pos can be integrated into live Kiosks with self-ordering systems.
• Incentivize employee bonus system by rewarding key performing employees during restaurant rush hours.
• Integrate with QuickBooks, KDS *(Kitchen Display System), and customer-facing digital displays for a delightful experience.

Where to Sign Up?

Log on to Lightspeed Restaurant’s official website for additional details.

In addition to the above features, Lightspeed pos software for food businesses charges an additional 2.6% + $0.10 against each transaction based on swiped, tapped, or dipped modes. This is a low payment percentage as opposed to high-end pos vendors.

3. TouchBistro:

TouchBistro is a renowned name in the software for restaurants realm. The company’s solutions are noticeable for adding an on-side iPad-based pos processor that works with restaurants of any scale.

The sleek design, blended with responsive UI/UX experience is a telltale sign for TouchBistro’s popularity in the F&B techscape these days.

Here are some of the main key features of this pos software:

• Easy to use feature set for restaurant owners and staff members who aren’t tech-savvy.
• Works without an internet connection without abruption to incoming payments from online/ in-house customers.
• Use multiple iPads and synchronize them with your restaurant’s Mac station.
• Access real-time customer transaction data, inventory details through Shogo, and other information easily.
• Locally installed pos app that also works with Square POS.

Although it’s an excellent software for restaurants, TouchBistro does require an active internet connection when you are looking to process credit card payments. Also, add-on services such as transaction support for online restaurant orders come at an additional price which is added to your monthly $69 bill.

Where to Sign Up?

Head over to TouchBistro’s official website for further information on signing up with them.

4. Toast Pos for Restaurants:

Toast values restaurant owners through robust customer support and value-added pos software features. The customer support team is 100%, which means that Toast does not outsource its technical issues department activities and customer support platform to foreign offshore staff members.

What makes Toast a better choice among other pos solutions for restaurants mentioned in this list is that it is mostly designed for digital ordering processes.

• Feature-rich interface, user-friendly menus, and easy to set up anytime; anywhere.
• Direct orders from servers to kitchen counters.
• Highly mobile solutions are included in the free plan.
• Can be used over a free range of Android devices, tablets, and other hardware.
• Comes with 24/7 active customer support.
• Requires at least a 2-year contract with restaurant owners.

Having said that, Toast isn’t a pos software for every restaurant owner. Their payments start at $160+ per month, and you have to pay a premium up to 3.89% + $0.15 per incoming online food order. Given the brevity of digital solutions, you should use Toast if you are already running a full-scale restaurant business.

For startups, we recommend Blink Co. pos solutions, as they are an easy fit for new business owners on a shoestring budget.

Where to Sign Up?

You can make further inquiries about Toast Pos software at this company’s official website.

Pos Software for Restaurants Is the Need of the Hour:

In 2021 and beyond, we are looking at pos software in terms of offering capabilities beyond simple payment modes. We’re talking about employee management, advanced mobile features that revert order data from one point to another, and other integrations that help to retain and acquire customers at full throttle.

In case, you aren’t sure about which pos software to go for, send us an email, or share your questions through the comments section below. We’ll get back to you with all the additional details to help you make an informed decision.